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1998 Cadillac Catera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Cadillac Catera do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 67.

About this comparison →
123Owner complaints

Model-year median: 67

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
163
1997123
199880
199967
200030
2001
Compare all Catera years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
56Suspension
22Tires
19Electrical System
17Service Brakes, Hydraulic
13
All reported categories
Air Bags
9Power Train
9Fuel System, Gasoline
8Steering
8Visibility
8Seats
7Structure
7Exterior Lighting
6Equipment
5Latches/locks/linkages
5Unknown Or Other
5Vehicle Speed Control
3Wheels
3Service Brakes, Air
2Service Brakes, Electric
2Electronic Stability Control
1Fuel System, Other
1Seat Belts
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

39 reports with mileage · 84 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Seats complaints

7 reports
Clear category filter
27,191 miles · Mar 18, 2005
EquipmentSeatsService Brakes, HydraulicInjury

CADILLAC CATERA 1998, DRIVER SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT THAT CONSUMER BACK WAS BURNED. *BF THE CONSUMER FIRST HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT NOT HEATING WAS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2000 WHICH WAS REPAIRED. ON PREVIOUS OCCASION THE CONSUMER HAD WORK DONE. THE MOLDING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD WAS LOOSE, THE CONSUMER REPORTED A WOBBLE IN…

Read full complaint

CADILLAC CATERA 1998, DRIVER SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT THAT CONSUMER BACK WAS BURNED. *BF THE CONSUMER FIRST HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT NOT HEATING WAS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2000 WHICH WAS REPAIRED. ON PREVIOUS OCCASION THE CONSUMER HAD WORK DONE. THE MOLDING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD WAS LOOSE, THE CONSUMER REPORTED A WOBBLE IN THE TIRE, ONE MONTH LATER THE CONSUMER HAD A FLAT TIRE, HE WAS THEN TOLD THE TIRES NEEDED TO REPLACED, THERE WAS STATIC FROM THE RADIO, THE FRONT PADS WERE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED TWICE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10115604

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2005
Seats

NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. *AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10109382

71,000 miles · Apr 7, 2004
SeatsFire

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10066745

71,000 miles · Feb 11, 2003
Seats

THE HEATING ELEMENT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE LEATHER TO MELT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10007072

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2001
SeatsTires

TWO TIRES LOST PRESSURE IN LAST TWO MONTHS. GOODYEAR, RSA TIRES, MTS P225/55R16 94H. FIRST TIRE WAS 2 MONTHS AGO, FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. SECOND TIRE WAS A WEEK AGO, REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK HEATED SEAT IS INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED HEATING ELEMENT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #882396

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seats

DRIVER SIDE POWER SEAT MOTOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #609335

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seats

SEAT HEATER SWITCH INOPERABLE. YH

NHTSA ODI #607676

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.